Visitor Handbook
We are thrilled that you are coming to Unidad Académica Campesina-Carmen Pampa (UAC-CP)! Part of what makes the UAC-CP experience so unique for students and faculty are visits from people like you. This handbook was assembled to help you prepare for your trip and to allow you to feel more comfortable and “in the know” once you get to campus. You will find that UAC-CP is a very busy place, and while we do our best to answer all your questions once you get here, having a basic understanding of life in Bolivia and on campus beforehand goes a long way.
Please read this entire handbook carefully and feel free to let us know if you have additional questions, suggestions or additions. It was created by seasoned travelers and your observations about what you’ve learned traveling will help future visitors to UAC-CP.
Content
1. Pre-visit protocol
2. Contact information and change of flight protocol
3. Travel preparation guidelines
Approximate ticket cost and suggested agent
Vaccination
Passport and documentation
Medical insurance
Travel insurance
4. Money, fees, currency, etc.
5. Miscellaneous Bolivia: time, climate, distance and safety
6. Packing list
7. Cultural primer
1. PRE-VISIT PROTOCOL
The information requested on this page MUST be relayed to UAC-CP well in advance of your visit.
Planning arrival and departure with UAC-CP
Lee Lechtenberg is the volunteer and visitor coordinator at UAC-CP.
When planning your trip, be sure to contact Lee at least three months in advance of your intended departure date to provide the following information in brief:
1. Purpose of your visit (goals and objectives must be stated clearly)
2. Approximate arrival and departure dates (tentative length of stay)
3. Contact information (email address, postal address, and home, work and cell phone numbers)
Lee’s e-mail address: lechtel(at)gmail(punto)com
Lee will need to confirm that UAC-CP will be able to provide you with housing and transportation during your proposed stay, as space in the Volunteer House is limited. When considering a travel schedule, note that it is most convenient for UAC-CP staff if you arrive on Sunday or Monday.
2. CONTACT INFORMATION AND CHANGE-OF-FLIGHT PROTOCOL
Please leave a copy of the following information with a friend or relative at home whom we can contact in the event of an emergency. E-mail Lee your emergency contact’s information including home/work/cell phone, email address and home address.
CONTACT INFORMATION
As visitor coordinator at UAC-CP, Lee Lechtenberg will be your primary contact. If you must call UAC-CP, calls can be received Tuesday through Saturday, between 8:00 and 12:00 in the morning and again between and 2:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon. Bolivia is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, which means that if it is noon in Chicago, it is 2:00 pm at UAC-CP (or 1:00 pm if you are in daylight savings—Bolivia does not use daylight savings time).
UAC-CP Address:
Unidad Academica Campesina – Carmen Pampa
Coroico, Nor Yungas
La Paz, BOLIVIA
South America
Please contact Lee first by email for the telephone number. (His email addresses appear above.) Please note that the receptionist does not speak English. When receiving calls while at UAC-CP, your caller should say your name clearly and the receptionist will attempt to find you, or an English speaker that can facilitate the conversation. Generally, it is difficult to receive phone calls.
Internet is available and readily accessible in the Volunteer House. Most volunteers and visitors find it most convenient to communicate with friends and family via Skype. Skype calls are free when “calling” from computer to computer and are very reasonable (about $0.02 US a minute) when calling from computer to a phone.
Airline Reservations:
Most visitors travel from the United States to Bolivia on American Airlines through Miami.
(See “3. TRAVEL PREPARATION GUIDELINES” below)
Flight information: 1-800-433-7300
Baggage information: 1-800-535-5225
La Paz office: 591-2-235-1360 (dial 011 first if calling from the US)
Carmen Pampa Fund
If you are having difficulty getting through to UAC-CP, call or email the Carmen Pampa Fund, the North American fundraising arm of the College, located in St. Paul, Minnesota. Business hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday CST.
Phone: 651-641-1588
www.info@carmenpampafund.org
Website: www.carmenpampafund.org
CHANGE OF FLIGHT PROTOCOL
Occasionally, visitors may miss a flight or other circumstances arise to delay their arrival. If you have a change of arrival time or date, email Lee immediately. He will be checking his email regularly in the days leading up to your arrival. In the event that you are unable to inform Lee about a missed flight or change of schedule, e-mail him at the earliest possible opportunity, even if you do not yet know your future flight information. If you have not communicated your change-of-flight information, and you do not arrive at the La Paz airport at the scheduled time, Lee or another volunteer will check email immediately and will work with you to coordinate next steps. Under these circumstances, try to check your email regularly—at least every hour or so.
If your baggage is lost, contact American Airlines at the baggage information number above.
TRIP CANCELLATIONS
In the event of certain political situations (blockades, strikes, etc), it may be necessary to cancel or postpone your trip. The decision to cancel is often a difficult one to make and will be made after considering several informed assessments of a situation, but will sometimes be made at the very last minute, relative to your travel plans. It is for this reason that it is essential we have your contact information prior to your departure. At times, it is necessary to cancel trips when there is only speculation of potential political problems. While this is disappointing, please respect our decision. We are not willing to compromise the safety of our visitors, nor our UAC-CP staff.
If your trip is cancelled, please contact American Airlines to determine the re-booking of your flight or reimbursement of funds if you are unable to postpone your visit. Again, the political situation can change quickly and it may be possible, depending on your schedule, to arrive one or two days after your original arrival date.
3. TRAVEL PREPARATION GUIDELINES
APPROXIMATE TICKET COSTS AND SUGGESTED AGENT
Most visitors take American Airlines’ daily flight from Miami to La Paz. American Airlines is the only major airline with regular, direct service to La Paz. One flight leaves Miami at approximately 11:00 p.m. and arrives in La Paz around 6:00a.m.; another leaves early afternoon from Miami and arrives in the evening in La Paz. Roundtrip ticket costs are approximately $1,300 and can be booked through an online travel site or travel agent.
VACCINATIONS
Visitors are encouraged to consult a physician or travel clinic at least two months in advance of arrival regarding immunizations. Recommended immunizations for Bolivia are Hepatitis A, Heptetitis B and typhoid. Documentation of yellow fever is required for the visa. Also, be sure that your tetanus shot is up-to-date.
Anti-malarial medication is not necessary because carrier mosquitoes are not present in areas of higher altitude such as La Paz and UAC-CP. They are, however, suggested for visitors who plan for travel in lower elevation areas. Again, please consult your physician.
PASSPORTS AND DOCUMENTATION
The following recommendations are for US citizens only.
A passport is necessary to enter Bolivia. If you do not currently carry a passport, apply for one several months in advance of your trip. If your passport expires soon, be sure to apply for a new passport (they must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry in Bolivia). Make two copies of all important documents (passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, health insurance card, personal contact information, etc.). Leave one copy at home and carry the other copy with you in case your documents are lost or stolen.
United States citizens must have a visa to enter Bolivia. Short-term visitors (90 days or less) should obtain a tourist visa. (The objeto determinado visa is generally recommended for longer-term visitors or volunteers. Please consult with Lee before applying for this visa). Visas can be obtained through the mail from the Bolivian Embassy in Washington, D.C. or upon arrival at the airport in La Paz. For more information, consult the Bolivian embassy’s website: www.bolivia-usa.org. The cost of the tourist visa is $135 US through the Bolivian embassy. This cost may be slightly higher if obtained upon arrival at the airport.
MEDICAL INSURANCE
Know the extent of international coverage you have through your medial insurance provider before arriving in Bolivia. Bring copies of important medical records, prescriptions and your insurance card. You may need to talk with your insurance agent to learn exactly what your coverage includes. The following are suggested questions to ask your agent:
* Does the plan include hospitalization for accidents and illnesses while abroad?
* What is the maximum amount of coverage provided?
* What is the coverage for medical evacuation?
* In the event of death, what is the coverage for repatriation of remains?
* Do you need to pay cash up front at a clinic or for a hospital stay? What if you have no money?
* Does the plan cover visits to the doctor or medication prescribed while abroad?
* If you must use your insurance, what do you show as proof of world-wide coverage?
* If you obtain medical assistance while you're abroad, when/how should you inform the agency?
* What documentation of expenses is required? Does the bill need to be in English and the amount of the charges in U.S. dollars?
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel insurance can come in handy in case of an emergency. As life in Bolivia is often unpredictable, you may want to consult your local travel agent about options for purchasing a plan for your travel. There are many insurance options for travelers which are generally inexpensive, such as the following:
* Baggage Insurance. Including cameras, clothing and incidentals, your baggage is worth at least $300 to $500. Simple baggage insurance plans are available at banks and travel agencies. Check your homeowners insurance policy as it may already provide this coverage.
* General Travel Insurance. You may want to consider a standard travel policy which not only covers stolen or damaged baggage but will reimburse you for expenses incurred due to travel mishaps such as airline strikes, etc. Again, banks and travel agencies have such policies available.
4. MONEY: FEES, CURRENCY, ETC.
EXCHANGING MONEY
Money is easily exchanged from US dollars into bolivianos or Bs (pronounced ’bees’). The exchange rate is approximately 7 Bs per US dollar. Dollars can be exchanged for bolivianos in La Paz or Coroico (the closest town to the UAC-CP). Dollars can be changed most easily in denominations of $20, $50 or $100, but the bills must be in perfect condition (slight tears or marks on the bills will not be accepted).
It is recommended to exchange $200 for a ten day stay in Carmen Pampa. However, past visitors have spent well under and well over this amount, so budget according to your spending habits. Note that there are few opportunities to spend cash at UAC-CP. Also note that currently there are no ATMs in Coroico. Most visitors withdraw money—dollars or bolivianos or both—from the ATM at the airport when they arrive. At this time they should withdraw all the money needed for their stay at UAC-CP as there may not be a chance to return to La Paz. With the exception of hotels, credit cards are rarely accepted in Coroico. If an ATM fails to dispense requested money, copy down the name of the Bank, the location, and the time of the attempted withdrawl in case you find out later that money has been mistakenly withdrawn from your account.
Should visitors spend time in La Paz after their stay at UAC-CP, note that ATMs are common in the city. Visitors are advised to consult their credit card companies in advance of travel about service rates for international withdrawals. You may want to call your credit card company to tell them you are traveling abroad so they do not begin to investigate purchases you make in Bolivia.
Past volunteers have found that check cards offer lower service rates than credit cards. Credit cards and check cards can be used only at select hotels, restaurants, etc., in La Paz. Travelers’ checks are not recommended as many visitors have found them difficult to cash.
Again, before leaving, make two copies of all credit cards front and back. Keep one copy at home, and take the other with you. It will come in handy if your credit cards are lost or stolen.
5. MISCELLANOUS INFORMATION ABOUT BOLIVIA:
TIME, CLIMATE, ALTITUDE, DISTANCES AND SAFETY
TIME
Bolivia is four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time, which means that if it is noon in Chicago, it is 2:00 pm at the UAC-CP (or 1:00 pm during daylight savings).
CLIMATE
Temperature varies considerably with altitude. During summer (December to March)—the rainy season in Bolivia—daily rains can last for hours at a time.
* UAC-CP: The temperature at UAC-CP stays relatively constant at a comfortable 70 to 80° Fahrenheit year round and is a few degrees cooler at night. Humidity is moderate. Note, however, that the weather can change at the drop of a hat, from rainy and cooler to sunny and hot. Be prepared for weather changes with a raincoat or rain poncho, a hat for the sun, sunglasses, and comfortable shoes that are not too hot but good for the mud.
* La Paz: Temperatures are also relatively constant throughout the year in La Paz, although considerably cooler at night or in the shade. Average daytime temperatures range from the 50 to 75° Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures dip to 32°. The air is very dry.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
Altitude sickness can affect those who normally live at low altitudes and ascend approximately 8,000 feet. Visitors often experience altitude sickness in La Paz, nearly 12,000 feet above sea level. Symptoms include headache, nausia, breathlessness, racing pulse, lethargy, insomnia, loss of appetite and dehydration. Altitude sickness is significantly less prevalent at UAC-CP, at about 6,000 feet, although visitors often feel lethargic in their first few days on campus. To stave off the effects of altitude sickness, drink plenty of water (two liters a day), rest often, eat lightly and refrain from strenuous exercise. Non-aspirin pain relievers and caffeine work well to fight headaches. Some visitors may want to ask their physician to prescribe something like diamox for altitude sickness.
DISTANCES
La Paz to UAC-CP: Approximately 3 ½ hours.
NOTE: The “Most Beautiful Road in the World” (MBRW)—perhaps better known as the “Most Dangerous Road in the World”—is no longer in use for normal travel. The UAC and public vehicles now use the new, paved road that runs parallel to the MBRW, and is much less dramatic. The new road (called the Cotapata-Santa Barbara road) also has spectacular views and the travel time is still about three hours.
Coroico to Carmen Pampa: The distance is approximately thirty-five minutes by car or a three-hour walk. Public transport is available during the school year and costs 3.5 Bs. Taxis are also available between Coroico and Carmen Pampa, but are relatively more expensive (45-55 Bs, mas o menos).
SAFETY
Relatively speaking, Bolivia is one of the safest countries in South America, but you should take basic precautions, especially in urban areas:
* La Paz: Pickpockets are common in La Paz and often work in teams with elaborate schemes that attempt to distract you. You may be spilled on, or a person may “accidentally” drop something in front of you. If this happens, keep walking. Do not accept assistance from anyone who offers to “help” wipe off whatever has been spilled on you. There are also a growing number of scams that involve thieves impersonating law enforcement officials who demand your identification. Again, keep walking or if you are in a cab, ask to get out immediately. To avoid robbery, wear a money belt and keep no important documents or money in your pockets or back pack.
* UAC-CP is quite safe. The Volunteer House is generally left unlocked. It is locked at night, during times when volunteers are not in the house and when UAC-CP is on break. To err on the side of caution, please keep your important documents tucked away in your room. If you need items secured, please let Lee know, and he will make the appropriate arrangements for you.
6. PACKING LIST
Many UAC-CP volunteers have found the following packing guidelines useful. As these packing guidelines were generated by volunteers who normally stay at UAC-CP for months to years, you certainly don’t need all of the items on the list.
PACKING HINTS
* Mix and match several items of clothing—pick a scheme like black, brown or navy.
* Each piece of clothing should match at least two other items.
* Do not pack anything you would be upset to lose—such as valuables and jewelry.
* Bring only comfortable shoes that have been broken in.
* Do not bring anything that wrinkles easily or needs to be dry cleaned.
* Roll your clothing in your suitcase to maximize space and cut down on wrinkling.
* Use large-zip lock bags or mesh bags to keep items visible and separate.
* Bring at least a few articles of clothing that will dry quickly.
LUGGAGE
One or two pieces of larger luggage is sufficient. Canvas bags and backpacks or hard suitcases with rollers are all recommended. Luggage should be labeled. It should not be locked during flights as routine luggage searches are common and require airport personnel to break locks to open luggage. A smaller backpack or bag is also recommended for short trips or carrying around campus.
Please check American Airlines’ website for current baggage and weight limit restrictions.
CLOTHING
Dress is very casual at UAC-CP. As teachers and administrators, volunteers and visitors are expected to wear appropriately modest clothing both inside and outside the classroom or office. Sleeveless shirts and shorts are acceptable, but not recommended for daily wear as bug bites are common and itchy! Low cut tank tops and/or midriff shirts and short shorts/skirts are not recommended. Clothing can be purchased in La Paz.
* Pants. Many find the biting insects bothersome and opt to wear pants around campus.
* Shorts. For traveling, playing sports, etc.
* Long-sleeved shirts
* Short-sleeved shirts
* Fleece jacket
* Rain poncho
* Warm jacket. Nights can be cool in Carmen Pampa. It can be quite cold in La Paz.
* Warm hat and gloves. Again, La Paz can get quite cold
* Sturdy sandals with back straps such as Chacos or Tevas
* Boots and/or shoes for general use or hiking that are good in mud
* Slippers or flip flops for around the house or in the shower
* Pajamas
* Underwear and socks
* Modest swimsuit. There is a little pool an hour’s walk from UAC-CP. A suit will be handy if you intend to do some traveling.
TOILETRIES
* Prescription medicine. Be sure to consult your physician at least two months ahead to request an extended prescription for the time you will stay at Carmen Pampa. Carry medicines in original, labeled prescription bottles.
* General medicines: Aspirin/Tylenol, allergy medicine, Pepto Bismol, decongestant, anti-diarreal prescription such as Cipro, antibiotics, etc.
* General topicals: Hand sanitizer, sun screen, insect repellant with DEET, lip balm, anti-itch cream
* Toothpaste, floss, toothbrush
* Razors
* Travel packs of toilet paper and tissue. Again, travel sizes of these items are very convenient.
* Contacts and contact solution. If you wear heat-disinfected contacts, you may want to consider switching to chemical as heated water is mainly available only when warmed on the stovetop. Consider bringing extra contacts and a copy of your contact/ glasses prescription, just in case
* Make up. If you wear it at home, there may be occasions to wear it at the UAC-CP.
* Daily vitamins such as calcium and iron
* Deodorant / Antiperspirant
* Anti-nausea medication if needed for car sickness
In the case that you should forget any of these items from home, note that most of these things are available at pharmacies in La Paz.
MISCELLANEOUS
* US$200 in small bills and medium bills. This is in addition to the US$200 you bring to exchange at the UAC-CP
* Pocket knife and nail clipper (remember to put in checked luggage)
* Flashlight or headlamp
* Book(s) The Volunteer House has an excellent selection of books left by past volunteers and visitors. Feel free to add to the collection.
* Journal
* Favorite recipes. Limited ingredients are available in Coroico, but you may be able to modify your recipes with local foodstuffs.
* Wide brimmed hat and sunglasses
* Converters/adapters for American electronics which use 110 volts. The UAC-CP uses a standard current of 220 volts (most electronics such as laptop computers, battery charges, iPod charges, etc., use both 110 and 220—check your piece of equipment before plugging it in!)
* Camera, CDs, memory card and other camera accessories
* Water bottle. Nalgene and similar brands are perfect as they don’t break and can easily be filled with hot or cold water.
* Business cards
* Extra batteries
* Money belt
* Office supplies: pens, notebooks and other materials such as paperclips, small calculator, etc.
* Address book (small) and envelopes
* Inflatable neck pillow, ear plugs and eye blinds for the overnight flight to La Paz.
* Maps and guidebooks.... but only if you are traveling around Bolivia before you come to the UAC. We have many Bolivia guidebooks for reference at the Volunteer House that you can borrow or keep.
* Spanish/English pocket dictionary
* Alarm clock: travel size battery-powered. Bedside alarm clocks are not provided at the Volunteer House.
* First aid & sewing kits
* Safety pins and rubber bands
* Stationery for thank you notes
* CDs and/or iPod. We have a CD player in the house.
* Pictures of family and friends, both for you and to share with UAC-CP students
* Hand sanitizer
* Laptop computer
IF YOU HAVE EXTRA ROOM IN YOUR SUITCASE . . .
Please consider bringing and leaving the following GENTLY USED items for the volunteer house: pillows, single/double bed sheets and blankets, towels, etc. Any and all items will be greatly appreciated and put to valuable use.
UAC-CP volunteers always welcome visitors bearing gifts. Frequent requests include: peanut butter, parmesan or other cheese, chocolate, non-yellow mustard, pancakes syrup, etc...
Additionally, family and friends of current UAC-CP volunteers often find it helpful to send packages down with visitors, both to save money and assure safe arrival. If you’d like to carry a package, please share your mailing address with Lee at least three weeks before your departure. Lee will arrange for a package to be sent to you.
7. CULTURAL PRIMER
"Perhaps the greatest power of educational exchange is the power to convert nations into peoples and to translate ideologies into human aspirations."
—J.W. Fulbright
“BOLIVIAN TIME”
The Bolivian time-table is always subject to change, which means not everything happens when it is scheduled and sometimes, without warning, it doesn’t happen at all. The best way to deal with unpredictable schedules is to accept that you are on “Bolivian Time” and go with the flow. Embracing “Bolivian Time” can be a good opportunity to take a break from the fast pace of American life and enjoy the moment.
SOCIAL GRACES
Greet people individually when you meet them and say goodbye individually when you leave. If the greeting is male-female or female-female, Bolivians will often press their right cheek to yours with a small kiss when they meet you or say hello. Greetings between men consist of a combination of handshakes and pats on the shoulder.
Accept Bolivians’ offers of food, drink or small gifts. However, don’t feel obligated to eat or drink something you think could cause illness.
Be conscious of rural Bolivians’ hunger. Please do not eat in front of UAC-CP students or local community members, unless you are at a meal or in an environment where everyone has food. Often people have not eaten. If you must eat around or with students—on a nursing trip to the rural communities, for example—please bring sufficient food along to share, as others may not have food.
Even if you know only a little Spanish, speak it with Bolivians. They are generally very patient listeners and will try to help you speak.
THE AYMARA
Between fifty and sixty percent of Bolivians are of Indigenous heritage and speak either Aymaran or Quechua. The native people of Bolivia are often called campesinos because they live in the campo, or rural area. Until the 1950s a significant portion of the Aymaran people lived in slave-like conditions. Many students at UAC-CP speak Aymara or Quecha as their first language. Campesinos living in Carmen Pampa and the surrounding communities speak Aymara.
VISITING RURAL COMMUNITIES
Visits to nearby rural communities can be arranged. These visits provide dramatic insight into the lives of Bolivians who are poor. If you go, note that the first and perhaps only language of most people in rural communities is Aymara. Please tell a volunteer if you are interested in a rural community visit. If an opportunity arises for a visit, they will coordinate it for you.
LOCAL FOOD
Bolivian meals typically consist of a bowl of soup, followed by a meat dish that includes at least two forms of carbohydrates, such as breads, potatoes or rice. Many fresh fruits and vegetables are available. Be sure to have a salteña, Bolivia’s most popular and unique pastry.
Bolivians wish each other “bon appetite” with the word provecho, the reply to which is gracias. Provecho is said both before and after a meal.
SHOPPING
The UAC-CP is home to an artisan shop which houses a collection of works by local artists. Please ask the volunteers to open it for you. Also, visitors can find nearly every handicraft in La Paz in the shopping area around San Francisco church. If you want to spend time shopping in La Paz, please let Lee know, and he will arrange your schedule accordingly. Bartering is acceptable in La Paz.
GIFT GIVING
Gift giving is not expected in Bolivia. However, if you’d like to give gifts, UAC-CP suggests you bring a few small gifts such as pens or postcards to share with select professors and students you meet at UAC-CP. Please do not bring many gifts and/or distribute them broadly, as this reinforces the stereotype that visitors are rich, and it can build an expectation of gift-giving for future visitors.
TO BE A WELL PREPARED TRAVELER AND CONSIDERATE GUEST IN BOLIVIA . . .
* Travel in a spirit of humility and with a genuine desire to meet and talk with local people.
* Do not expect to find things as you have them at home. You have left your home to find difference.
* Do not be too serious. An open mind and a sense of humor is the beginning of a wonderful experience at UAC-CP.
* Do not let others get on your nerves. You have come a long way to be a good ambassador for your country, to learn as much as you can and to enjoy the experience.
* Know where your passport is at all times.
* Do not worry. It can take the fun out of your Bolivian experience!
* Do not judge the people of Bolivia by the one person with whom you have had trouble. This is unfair to the Bolivian people as a whole.
* Remember that you are a guest in Bolivia.
* Cultivate the habit of listening and observing, rather than merely hearing and seeing.
* Realize that other people may have ideas, lifestyles and concepts of time which are very different from yours—not inferior, only different.
* Be aware of the feelings of local people to prevent what might be offensive behavior.
* Taking photographs must be done with respect. Always ask before taking a photograph of a community member or student.
* Make no promises to new local friends that you cannot fulfill. This is especially important around UAC-CP. If you want to do something special for people you meet, talk about its feasibility with the volunteers before suggesting it to your new Bolivian friend. This includes even such small things as promising to send pictures of local people that you have taken.
* Devote some time to daily reflection in order to gain a deeper understanding of your experiences.
Last updated: March 2009
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Volunteer Handbook
Introduction
The people of the Nor Yungas, Bolivia are mainly of indigenous Aymara or Afro-Bolivian decent who until 1952 endured indentured servitude. Though most of the older people speak Aymara, Spanish is the common language of the young in schools. After working as an educator 12 years in the Nor Yungas, Sister Damon Nolan realized that a high school education was not adequate to give campesinos control over their own destiny. In 1992 she came to an agreement with the local Aymaran farmers' organization to build a college together. Some of the farmers signed the pact with a thumb print. The school was to be for poor rural you who cannot afford the cost of urban universities. The farmers stipulated that it was to be situated in the rural community and to address local problems - malnutrition, poor healthcare, and the difficulty of subsistence farming on tiny mountainous farm plots. Consequently the UAC offers degrees in nursing, agronomy, veterinary science, education, and now eco-tourism. The programs are accredited by the Catholic University of Bolivia.
Much of the physical building of the college was done with the donated labor of the local farmers. Students also spend four to eight hours a week working to maintain and build the school. The college receives no aid from the Bolivian government but is partially subsidized by donations to the Carmen Pampa Fund in the United States and by other grants. Enrollment has grown from 52 students in 1992 to almost 700 with an equal ratio of women to men.
Over the 15 years of its existence the UAC has succeeded in training professionals who have returned to their communities as leaders in politics and businesses. The nurse, raise animals, become involved in micro-loan projects or NGOs offering instruction or aid to compesinos. The UAC has published research and initiated outreach programs in nursing, pig raising, goat raising, family farms, coffee growing, medicinal plants, cheese and honey production. Many of these outreach programs offer seeds or young animals, instruction, and the promise to buy back what they produce at above market prices for processing and marketing in UAC facilities.
The volunteer program started in 1998 with the arrival of Charles and Loretta Murphy, lay missioners from the Franciscan Mission Service. Since then, many, many people have contributed as volunteers "on the ground," for whom we are all grateful.
Paz y Bien,
Leo Lechtenberg & Hugh Smeltekop
Contributors to this site:
Leo Lechtenberg
Diana O´Brien
Hugh Smeltekop
If you are still thinking about becoming a volunteer:
Here are some things to think about before reading more.
Hallmarks of effective volunteers
1. It helps to be outgoing and self-motivated. Volunteers who get out of the house to talk to community members and actively look for things to do when their "job" slows down find their experience here is more meaningful. They feel helpful here where one minute a translator is needed, and the next someone to swing a hammer, and then someone to re-boot a computer.
2. It is best to be fearless in speaking Spanish. None of us speak perfectly, some are very far from being fluent, but volunteers need to jump in without worry about their limitations and communicate using whatever words and non-verbal cues they can muster. Students and local people here are usually very tolerant and patient.
3. A sense of humor is invaluable. Things here move at a very different pace, with much more emphasis on relationships than on accomplishments. For an outsider the frustration level can be high. If the volunteer can chuckle and regroup to try new ways of getting things done it can make all the difference.
Spanish: Volunteers must be able to communicate to some extent in Spanish. Exceptions may be made depending on a volunteer’s skills. Excellent Spanish language programs of six weeks to five months are available in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Pay
Unfortunately, there is currently no funding for non-teaching volunteers – they would have to be self supported. Volunteers who teach (e.g. English) will receive a stipend of $100/month per course. A copy of a college diploma is required to teach English. Teaching one course provides enough income to live here. Each person living at the volunteer house contributes about $50/month for food, and house upkeep.
Length of Stay
How much time need a volunteer stay to make a difference? It is a genuine sacrifice for volunteers to interrupt their jobs and join us in Bolivia sometimes at considerable financial expense to themselves. Most volunteers desire to experience a fascinating culture and at the same time to help the poor. For both reasons it is advantageous to live here a year in order to acclimate to the language and culture and to discover where to make the best contribution. This amount of time is not always possible. Depending on what the volunteer wishes to accomplish, much can be accomplished in a shorter time period.
The two school year semesters are out of sync with those in the northern hemisphere. One semester begins on the first Tuesday in February, and the other on the last Tuesday in July. Volunteers who are teaching should arrive at least a week before school starts.
The need for Volunteers
What might a volunteer do here? There are opportunities for tutoring, helping at the health post, working in the gardens, organizing weekend activities for the students, teaching in the English program, assisting in the library and computer labs, organizing and overseeing sports events, doing interviews and taking pictures for Carmen Pampa Fund publications, and teaching small classes in your area of interest, e.g. health, good parenting, computers, art, or music. Volunteers may wish to help with maintenance, repair, building, waste recycling, care of farm animals, or teaching students how to promote rural tourism. Carmen Pampa has a grade and boarding high school also in need of help – help teaching reading and English, children’s library and play programs. Think about your skills and interests and formulate an idea of what you’d like to attempt here. Be aware that sharing your ideas will only be one part of your contribution. Another part will be learning, working and sweating alongside Bolivians to discover solutions together.
Living arrangements
Most live in the Volunteer House. We have agreed to share household tasks, taking equal turns cooking, shopping, and cleaning. We are committed to supporting each other. Our life style is simple but healthy. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful in Bolivia and some meats are available. The house is a somewhat dilapidated but historic adobe hacienda which is fitted with indoor plumbing and screens. Each volunteer has his own small room with simple accommodations. Occasionally we have had to double up when visitors come, and may have to do so on a regular basis if we have more volunteers than bedrooms. All water must be boiled before drinking. We lack hot water except for electric shower heads. Water flow occasionally stops completely or becomes cloudy with clay and must be filtered. There are occasional power outages. We wash our laundry by hand and dry it in the sun. Transportation is slow and often stressful in crowded, tardy mini-vans. We have direct cable internet but it is frequently interrupted for weeks at a time.
The volunteer house welcomes married couples who are willing to put up with the lack of privacy. For couples and families it is possible to rent a tiny very primitive house near the campus or something more livable in Coroico. For a variety reasons, the volunteer house is not an optimal situation for a young couple exploring a temporary relationship. They too are invited to find living arrangements nearby.
Young volunteers who wish a more intense immersion into the Bolivian/Aymara culture and the Spanish language can opt to live with the students in the dormitories and eat in their dining halls. It is probably the best way for a young person to experience the culture in a short time and gain the esteem and friendship of Bolivian peers. It is a hard lifestyle with its barracks-style dormitories, common bathroom/showers, and limited Bolivian cuisine. However the welcome sign is always hanging at the hacienda should a volunteer need a respite or feel sick.
Please reflect on this and let us know about any questions or doubts.
Now, more about the nuts and bolts of our program.
Mission of the UAC-Carmen Pampa
• To make higher education available to young rural students who would not otherwise have that opportunity. The college is located in a rural area and encourages students to return to their rural communities as agents of change.
• To prepare young rural Bolivians to serve their community as professionals with a commitment to bettering the lot of the most poor.
• To develop extension programs which address the critical needs of the surrounding rural communities. To help teams of students move out into the community in instruction and apprenticeship programs.
• To strengthen progress and socio-economic liberation through academic research. To initiate research programs targeted to local needs and to integrate the successful research into the countryside.
Semester Schedule
Semestre I de 2008
Preinscripciones hasta 19 de enero
Solicitud de Cambio de Unidad hasta 30 de enero
Examen de Dispensación 20 de enero (previsto)
Publicación de Becados 4 de febrero
Inscripción (Primer Cuota de Estudio y Matrícula)
5, 6, 7 y 9 de febrero
Inicio de Clases 10 de febrero
Adición y Retiro de Materias 11 y 12 de febrero
Misa de Inauguración 17 de febrero
Feriado de Carnaval 24 de febrero
Colación Universitaria (todas carreras) 28 de febrero
Pago de 2da Cuota de Estudio hasta el 3 de marzo
Pago de 3ra Cuota de Estudio hasta el 7 de abril
Semana Santa 9 a 11 de abril
Inscripciones Examen de Idiomas 30 de marzo
Examen de Idiomas 6 de abril
Día del Trabajo 1 de mayo
Pago de 4ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 5 de mayo
Pago de 5ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 2 de junio
Corpus Christi 11 de junio
Jornadas Científicas 18, 19 y 20 de junio
Publicación de Habilitados hasta el 20 de junio
Último Día de Clases 20 de junio
Exámenes Finales 23 a 27 de junio
Segundo Turno de Exámenes 29 y 30 de junio
Semestre II de 2009
Solicitud de Cambio de Unidad hasta el 17 de julio
Publicación de Estudiantes Becados 22 de julio
Inscripción (Primer Cuota de Estudio y Matrícula)
23, 24, 25 y 27 de julio
Inicio de Clases 28 de julio
Adición y Retiro de Materias 29 y 30 de julio
Desfile Cívico Día del Campesino (CP) 2 de agosto
Misa de Inauguración 4 de agosto
Desfile Cívico Efemérides Patria (Cor.) 6 de agosto
Colación Universitaria (todas carreras) 15 de agosto
Pago de 2da Cuota de Estudio hasta el 25 de agosto
Inscripciones Examen de Idiomas a determinar (sept.)
Examen de Idiomas a determinar (sept.)
Pago de 3ra Cuota de Estudio hasta el 22 de sept.
Aniversario UAC-CP (Fiesta universitaria) 2 a 5 de octubre
Aniversario de Coroico 20 a 21 a octubre
Pago de 4ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 22 de octubre
Día de los difuntos 2 de noviembre
Pago de 5ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 17 de noviembre
Jornadas Científicas 3, 4 y 5 de diciembre
Publicación Estudiantes Habilitados hasta el 5 de diciembre
Último día de clases 5 de diciembre
Exámenes Finales 8 a 12 de diciembre
Segundo Turno de Exámenes Finales 14 y 15 de diciembre
Campus Layout
The UAC has 2 campuses, a campus on the mountain above the community of Carmen Pampa called Campus Leahy after the UAC's co-founder Dick Leahy; and a lower campus in the community of Carmen Pampa called Campus Manning after the late bishop of Coroico who encouraged education at all levels as a tool for peace, justice, and sustainable development.
The people of the Nor Yungas, Bolivia are mainly of indigenous Aymara or Afro-Bolivian decent who until 1952 endured indentured servitude. Though most of the older people speak Aymara, Spanish is the common language of the young in schools. After working as an educator 12 years in the Nor Yungas, Sister Damon Nolan realized that a high school education was not adequate to give campesinos control over their own destiny. In 1992 she came to an agreement with the local Aymaran farmers' organization to build a college together. Some of the farmers signed the pact with a thumb print. The school was to be for poor rural you who cannot afford the cost of urban universities. The farmers stipulated that it was to be situated in the rural community and to address local problems - malnutrition, poor healthcare, and the difficulty of subsistence farming on tiny mountainous farm plots. Consequently the UAC offers degrees in nursing, agronomy, veterinary science, education, and now eco-tourism. The programs are accredited by the Catholic University of Bolivia.
Much of the physical building of the college was done with the donated labor of the local farmers. Students also spend four to eight hours a week working to maintain and build the school. The college receives no aid from the Bolivian government but is partially subsidized by donations to the Carmen Pampa Fund in the United States and by other grants. Enrollment has grown from 52 students in 1992 to almost 700 with an equal ratio of women to men.
Over the 15 years of its existence the UAC has succeeded in training professionals who have returned to their communities as leaders in politics and businesses. The nurse, raise animals, become involved in micro-loan projects or NGOs offering instruction or aid to compesinos. The UAC has published research and initiated outreach programs in nursing, pig raising, goat raising, family farms, coffee growing, medicinal plants, cheese and honey production. Many of these outreach programs offer seeds or young animals, instruction, and the promise to buy back what they produce at above market prices for processing and marketing in UAC facilities.
The volunteer program started in 1998 with the arrival of Charles and Loretta Murphy, lay missioners from the Franciscan Mission Service. Since then, many, many people have contributed as volunteers "on the ground," for whom we are all grateful.
Paz y Bien,
Leo Lechtenberg & Hugh Smeltekop
Contributors to this site:
Leo Lechtenberg
Diana O´Brien
Hugh Smeltekop
If you are still thinking about becoming a volunteer:
Here are some things to think about before reading more.
Hallmarks of effective volunteers
1. It helps to be outgoing and self-motivated. Volunteers who get out of the house to talk to community members and actively look for things to do when their "job" slows down find their experience here is more meaningful. They feel helpful here where one minute a translator is needed, and the next someone to swing a hammer, and then someone to re-boot a computer.
2. It is best to be fearless in speaking Spanish. None of us speak perfectly, some are very far from being fluent, but volunteers need to jump in without worry about their limitations and communicate using whatever words and non-verbal cues they can muster. Students and local people here are usually very tolerant and patient.
3. A sense of humor is invaluable. Things here move at a very different pace, with much more emphasis on relationships than on accomplishments. For an outsider the frustration level can be high. If the volunteer can chuckle and regroup to try new ways of getting things done it can make all the difference.
Spanish: Volunteers must be able to communicate to some extent in Spanish. Exceptions may be made depending on a volunteer’s skills. Excellent Spanish language programs of six weeks to five months are available in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Pay
Unfortunately, there is currently no funding for non-teaching volunteers – they would have to be self supported. Volunteers who teach (e.g. English) will receive a stipend of $100/month per course. A copy of a college diploma is required to teach English. Teaching one course provides enough income to live here. Each person living at the volunteer house contributes about $50/month for food, and house upkeep.
Length of Stay
How much time need a volunteer stay to make a difference? It is a genuine sacrifice for volunteers to interrupt their jobs and join us in Bolivia sometimes at considerable financial expense to themselves. Most volunteers desire to experience a fascinating culture and at the same time to help the poor. For both reasons it is advantageous to live here a year in order to acclimate to the language and culture and to discover where to make the best contribution. This amount of time is not always possible. Depending on what the volunteer wishes to accomplish, much can be accomplished in a shorter time period.
The two school year semesters are out of sync with those in the northern hemisphere. One semester begins on the first Tuesday in February, and the other on the last Tuesday in July. Volunteers who are teaching should arrive at least a week before school starts.
The need for Volunteers
What might a volunteer do here? There are opportunities for tutoring, helping at the health post, working in the gardens, organizing weekend activities for the students, teaching in the English program, assisting in the library and computer labs, organizing and overseeing sports events, doing interviews and taking pictures for Carmen Pampa Fund publications, and teaching small classes in your area of interest, e.g. health, good parenting, computers, art, or music. Volunteers may wish to help with maintenance, repair, building, waste recycling, care of farm animals, or teaching students how to promote rural tourism. Carmen Pampa has a grade and boarding high school also in need of help – help teaching reading and English, children’s library and play programs. Think about your skills and interests and formulate an idea of what you’d like to attempt here. Be aware that sharing your ideas will only be one part of your contribution. Another part will be learning, working and sweating alongside Bolivians to discover solutions together.
Living arrangements
Most live in the Volunteer House. We have agreed to share household tasks, taking equal turns cooking, shopping, and cleaning. We are committed to supporting each other. Our life style is simple but healthy. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful in Bolivia and some meats are available. The house is a somewhat dilapidated but historic adobe hacienda which is fitted with indoor plumbing and screens. Each volunteer has his own small room with simple accommodations. Occasionally we have had to double up when visitors come, and may have to do so on a regular basis if we have more volunteers than bedrooms. All water must be boiled before drinking. We lack hot water except for electric shower heads. Water flow occasionally stops completely or becomes cloudy with clay and must be filtered. There are occasional power outages. We wash our laundry by hand and dry it in the sun. Transportation is slow and often stressful in crowded, tardy mini-vans. We have direct cable internet but it is frequently interrupted for weeks at a time.
The volunteer house welcomes married couples who are willing to put up with the lack of privacy. For couples and families it is possible to rent a tiny very primitive house near the campus or something more livable in Coroico. For a variety reasons, the volunteer house is not an optimal situation for a young couple exploring a temporary relationship. They too are invited to find living arrangements nearby.
Young volunteers who wish a more intense immersion into the Bolivian/Aymara culture and the Spanish language can opt to live with the students in the dormitories and eat in their dining halls. It is probably the best way for a young person to experience the culture in a short time and gain the esteem and friendship of Bolivian peers. It is a hard lifestyle with its barracks-style dormitories, common bathroom/showers, and limited Bolivian cuisine. However the welcome sign is always hanging at the hacienda should a volunteer need a respite or feel sick.
Please reflect on this and let us know about any questions or doubts.
Now, more about the nuts and bolts of our program.
Mission of the UAC-Carmen Pampa
• To make higher education available to young rural students who would not otherwise have that opportunity. The college is located in a rural area and encourages students to return to their rural communities as agents of change.
• To prepare young rural Bolivians to serve their community as professionals with a commitment to bettering the lot of the most poor.
• To develop extension programs which address the critical needs of the surrounding rural communities. To help teams of students move out into the community in instruction and apprenticeship programs.
• To strengthen progress and socio-economic liberation through academic research. To initiate research programs targeted to local needs and to integrate the successful research into the countryside.
Semester Schedule
Semestre I de 2008
Preinscripciones hasta 19 de enero
Solicitud de Cambio de Unidad hasta 30 de enero
Examen de Dispensación 20 de enero (previsto)
Publicación de Becados 4 de febrero
Inscripción (Primer Cuota de Estudio y Matrícula)
5, 6, 7 y 9 de febrero
Inicio de Clases 10 de febrero
Adición y Retiro de Materias 11 y 12 de febrero
Misa de Inauguración 17 de febrero
Feriado de Carnaval 24 de febrero
Colación Universitaria (todas carreras) 28 de febrero
Pago de 2da Cuota de Estudio hasta el 3 de marzo
Pago de 3ra Cuota de Estudio hasta el 7 de abril
Semana Santa 9 a 11 de abril
Inscripciones Examen de Idiomas 30 de marzo
Examen de Idiomas 6 de abril
Día del Trabajo 1 de mayo
Pago de 4ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 5 de mayo
Pago de 5ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 2 de junio
Corpus Christi 11 de junio
Jornadas Científicas 18, 19 y 20 de junio
Publicación de Habilitados hasta el 20 de junio
Último Día de Clases 20 de junio
Exámenes Finales 23 a 27 de junio
Segundo Turno de Exámenes 29 y 30 de junio
Semestre II de 2009
Solicitud de Cambio de Unidad hasta el 17 de julio
Publicación de Estudiantes Becados 22 de julio
Inscripción (Primer Cuota de Estudio y Matrícula)
23, 24, 25 y 27 de julio
Inicio de Clases 28 de julio
Adición y Retiro de Materias 29 y 30 de julio
Desfile Cívico Día del Campesino (CP) 2 de agosto
Misa de Inauguración 4 de agosto
Desfile Cívico Efemérides Patria (Cor.) 6 de agosto
Colación Universitaria (todas carreras) 15 de agosto
Pago de 2da Cuota de Estudio hasta el 25 de agosto
Inscripciones Examen de Idiomas a determinar (sept.)
Examen de Idiomas a determinar (sept.)
Pago de 3ra Cuota de Estudio hasta el 22 de sept.
Aniversario UAC-CP (Fiesta universitaria) 2 a 5 de octubre
Aniversario de Coroico 20 a 21 a octubre
Pago de 4ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 22 de octubre
Día de los difuntos 2 de noviembre
Pago de 5ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 17 de noviembre
Jornadas Científicas 3, 4 y 5 de diciembre
Publicación Estudiantes Habilitados hasta el 5 de diciembre
Último día de clases 5 de diciembre
Exámenes Finales 8 a 12 de diciembre
Segundo Turno de Exámenes Finales 14 y 15 de diciembre
Campus Layout
The UAC has 2 campuses, a campus on the mountain above the community of Carmen Pampa called Campus Leahy after the UAC's co-founder Dick Leahy; and a lower campus in the community of Carmen Pampa called Campus Manning after the late bishop of Coroico who encouraged education at all levels as a tool for peace, justice, and sustainable development.
Administration/Key Positions
The phone number at the UAC from the U.S. is 011-591-2213-7293. This phone is staffed from 8-12 noon and 2-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday during the school year (mid February to end of June; August through mid-December), and 8-12 noon and 2-5 p.m. Monday through Friday during vacations. The receptionist only speaks Spanish, so be patient and she will find someone who speaks English. E-mail is the best way to contact us outside of those hours. Mail a few people (like Lee Lechtenberg and Hugh Smeltekop) to be sure someone gets the message quickly.
UAC Administrators
Rev. Padre Freddy del Villar Zúñiga
Director
fredelviz(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 9:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Dr. Hugh Smeltekop
Vice Director
boliviahugh(at)gmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes, jueves, sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Horario en la direccion en Campus Manning
miércoles, viernes 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Lic. Manuela Urbina
Secretaria Academica
delur342(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
lunes a viernes 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-7:00pm
Lic. Pascual Quispe
Encargado de Dpto Contabilidad
pascpn(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
lunes a viernes 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-8:00pm
Lic. Silvia Aquino
Encargada de Dpto de Contabilidad
jheny_aquino(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
lunes a viernes 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-8:00pm
Ing. Diego Miranda
Encargado Computacion
diego_amch(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la Sala de Computacion, Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Sra. Ayda
Recepcionista
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Asuntos legales
Dra. Sarah Álvarez
Abogada
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Volunteer Coordinators
Leo Lechtenberg
lechtel(at)gmail(dot)com
Hugh Smeltekop
boliviahugh(at)gmail(dot)com
Departments
Agronomy - Campus Leahy
Ing. José Luis Beltran
Director, Carrera de Ingeniería Agronómica
josebeltran69(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Education - Campus Leahy
Lic. Andrés Pardo
Director, Carrera de Pedagogía
pardo-educa(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science - Campus Manning
Dr. Martín Morales
Director, Carrera de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootécnia
jjmafitarvz(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Manning
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Nursing - Campus Manning
Lic. Lidia Cuevas
Directora, Carrera de Enfermería
lienma_11(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Manning
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Ecotourism - Campus Manning
José Luis Pinto
Jefe, Carrera de Tourism Rural
joseluispintogarcia(at)gmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Manning
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Pre-university - Campus Leahy
Dra. Sarah Álvarez
Jefa, Pre-Universitaria
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Library
Campus Leahy
Lic. Olga Jemio
Directora, Bibliotecas de la UAC
Responsable, Biblioteca Leahy
olgairae9(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hours for photo copies and borrowing books:
8:00 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Campus Manning
Hours for photocopies and borrowing books:
8:00 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Computer Lab
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Costs
1-15 min. 1 Bs
30 min. 2 Bs
60 min. 3 Bs
copies cost 0.50 Bs---bring your own paper
Church
Mass schedule
Sundays in church in Carmen Pampa: 4:30 p.m.
Wednesdays in Campus Leahy Chapel: 7:00 p.m.
Morning prayer schedule
Tuesday - Saturday at convent: 7:00 a.m.
Holidays/Special events
(incomplete)
Campus Store
There is a small store to sell clothes and other items received as donations on each campus.
Transportation
All transportation between campuses is on public transportation.
Travel to Coroico
Apart from the UAC vehicle, there are community vans that travel every day (though irregularly) to and from Coroico. They cost 3 Bs to get from Coroico to Campus Leahy (and vice versa), and 3.50 to get from Coroico to Carmen Pampa (and vice versa).
UAC/Coroico pickup locations
UAC, Manning Campus
Outside volunteer house.
UAC, Leahy Campus
Across from organic gardens
Coroico
There is a bus stop ("parada") on the road out of Coroico to Carmen Pampa, just above the restaurant Apimania. The vehicle may be a van or truck. One should ask if the vehicle is going all the way to Carmen Pampa as some go only to San Pedro.
Travel to La Paz
Many companies travel from Coroico to La Paz and back. Minibuses and larger cost 15 bolivianos, and leave from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. The company that the university generally travels with is called Turbus Totaí. The office in La Paz makes reservations 011 - 591 - 2 - 221 - 6592. Reservations should be made in person from Coroico to travel to La Paz. There is a 1 boliviano terminal use charge in Coroico.
During the school year, Totaí offers buses that leave La Paz and go straight to Carmen Pampa only on Mondays. These buses leave at 4:30 p.m. and arrive in Carmen Pampa about 8:30 p.m. Reservations should be made in advance at the La Paz office.
To get to the Turbus Totaí office in La Paz, take any public transportation to Villa Fátima and ask to get out at the ex-surtidor. Taxi's should also be instructed to take you to the ex-surtidor de Villa Fátima.
VIII. Volunteer House
Maintenance
There are two maintenance supervisors, one for each campus. They are in charge of all campus maintenance, including assigning students to tasks for the 80 hours of community service (“trabajo comunitario”) that they do each semester. These tasks include cleaning of the classrooms, upkeep of the grounds, small construction and maintenance jobs, and picking coffee and working in the vegetable production fields. They are the most knowledgeable people in the areas of electricity, potable water and wastewater systems, and plumbing.
Leahy Campus: Don Jorge Taboada, lives with wife Doña Teresa in apartment across from the futsal/basketball court. Teresa also serves coffee, cake, gelatin and soda in her apartment livingroom, and makes cakes to order.
Manning Campus: Profesor Donato Monroy, lives with wife Doña Goya, son Julio, Julio’s wife Maritza and their son Daniel in a house across from the convent’s garden. Goya also sells laundry soap, cookies and other goodies from her store.
The university covers the costs of maintenance and improvements of the volunteer house. To have things done, type them out and get a “visto bueno” from Father Freddy, then present the sheet to Profesor Donato. Donato will probably send a student and/or the maintenance worker Don José Tintaya to work in the house. If he doesn’t send someone within a week, remind him.
Student-help Guidelines
Often, volunteers will hire students to do work around the house to help the students pay for school. The daily wage is called a “jornal” and it is currently 30 bolivianos. Profesor Donato often knows who the hardest working and most needy students are. The convent has a student clean/do house laundry on Mondays; the volunteer house often has a similar arrangement. Volunteers may also want to have a student wash their clothes, and although the price is negotiable, it is suggested that the student be paid a price similar to the 30 boliviano/day wage to avoid pay scale conflicts with other students.
Community - Our Vision
The UAC is a Catholic school founded by the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. Volunteers share a variety of faith traditions and beliefs but a common love of Bolivian farm families. The volunteer program is meant for sincere people of all spiritual affiliations – religious, areligious, agnostic, atheist. We respect our differences and are enriched by them. At the same time we try to live and support each other as a community in the spirit of St. Francis. This means we try to share the simple lives of those around us and imitate their respect for the environment. We are committed to assisting everyone but especially the poorest. There are opportunities for prayer with the Franciscan Sisters. Weekly meetings of the volunteer community include discussion of practical house matters for everyone followed by an optional session to share and to reflect on our experience here. These times of reflection and sharing are simple and are generally prepared by the volunteers according to their particular taste and preferences.
Monthly food/communal contribution
The volunteers typically put 350 bolivianos into a common food fund and use that to pay for common food, natural gas canisters used for cooking, kitchen goods like dish soap, laundry soap, the electric bill, and students who clean the house or wash house laundry.
Store location and names of owners in Coroico
• Doña Albina: Vegetables, dry goods, dairy products and cleaning supplies.
• Doña Juanita: Vegetables, dry goods, dairy products and cleaning supplies.
• Everything store: non-food items.
• Laura’s liquor store: wine, yogurt, candy and other fun items.
• Buena Carne: meat.
(See Coroico map) (incomplete)
Food/Cooking schedule
Volunteers generally have breakfast and lunch on their own, and have dinner together. Once class schedules are determined, each volunteer chooses a night to cook dinner and a night to do dinner dishes.
Is it common that university faculty, staff, and sometimes students are invited to dinner at the volunteer house. Please discuss dinner invitations with other volunteers before extending the invitation.
Volunteers may choose to eat lunch in the student-run subsidized cafeterias called “cooperativas de alimentación.” The cooperativa coordinator Maria Uchida can help volunteers arrange to eat with the students in the cooperativas, two of which are located on the Leahy campus, and one on the Manning campus.
A note on alcohol use and smoking
The Internal Rules of the UAC forbid the consumption of alcoholic beverages or being inebriated on university property. The volunteer house, however, is allowed to have alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages are for our own consumption and are permitted. If a student is over for dinner, a glass of wine or single drink is allowed. Consume in moderation and never to excess. Be a role model for students and others by maintaining control at all times and showing you know when to stop. If a student is seen intoxicated on campus, it is our duty to report the instance in writing to Father Freddy. Consumption of illicit drugs is prohibited. If any student is seen with or known to be using any type of illicit drug, it is our duty to report the instance in writing to Sister Damon.
No smoking is allowed in the Volunteer House. Volunteers who smoke often use the laundry room to smoke.
Laundry
The house has a laundry washing area with a cement sink, some wash basins, and lines to dry laundry in the sun. Close the laundry room doors when not in the laundry area to prevent small animals from entering the house.
Computer/laptops
The volunteer house has a dedicated internet line. The house has a wireless router that volunteers use the access Internet from the living room, kitchen and two of the seven bedrooms (currently not functioning). Otherwise, there are computers with Internet in the libraries of both campuses, and Hugh's office computer is sometimes used when the libraries are closed.
Health
To deal with the mountainous terrain and living conditions, volunteers should enjoy good physical/psychological health and have normal energy levels. Age is not a constraint. Special dietary needs might present a problem. For the health needs of volunteers there is an on-campus clinic and pharmacy open during school hours. There is also a government health center near the volunteer’s house where a doctor or nurse is available year round. Currently an English-speaking nurse is resident at the volunteer house and a Bolivian nurse and doctor live very nearby for night-time emergencies. If necessary, transportation will be arranged to the hospital in Coroico seven miles away. The hospital has departments of trauma care, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, surgery and internal medicine. They also offer basic dental care. For more serious medical attention the volunteer will be accompanied to one of the modern hospitals in La Paz which has some English-speaking staff. This is a three and a half hour drive. Health care and medications are not expensive here but volunteers should consider medical insurance which covers serious problems. Some medical insurance may also cover emergency evacuation to the U.S.
Bimonthly community meeting
The volunteers have weekly meetings on Wednesdays after lunch (about 12:30 p.m.).
Security Guidelines
The front door to the house is often left open during the day if volunteers are around campus, but locked when volunteers are away, and at night before the last volunteer has gone to bed. Although rare, items could be stolen, and it is recommended that very valuable items like passports and large amounts of money be given to the sisters to be kept in the convent. Volunteers have never had problems with harassment or assaults on campus.
Guests Guidelines
Sometimes UAC visitors will stay in the volunteer house. These visitors typically pay $25 a day, and after such a visitor leaves, someone will fill out a “solicitud de fondos” so that the house can get reimbursed for costs incurred during the visit. Some UAC visitors are not expected to pay but may leave a donation that can be used at the discretion of the volunteers It is the responsibility of all UAC volunteers to assist in any way necessary to make the guests feel welcome and comfortable. This includes, but isn’t limited to: picking up visitors in La Paz, cleaning, shopping, translating, cooking, and being present and attentive during their stay. As stewards of our house of hospitality, we want to provide a warm and comfortable atmosphere when guests are here.
Any other guests (family or friends) should be cleared with people in the house. It is also expected that volunteers inform the Sisters’ community of guests. When a volunteer has a visitor, it is suggested that s/he contribute an extra 10 bolivianos per person per day to cover the costs of the extra visitors.
Friendship
There are inevitable periods of loneliness and depression on entering any foreign culture. Volunteers must be psychologically prepared to endure an adjustment period. There are ample opportunities for supportive friendship and fun with other volunteers and with Bolivians. Young volunteers will meet other young people with whom they can safely have a good time.
We encourage volunteers to socialize in a group setting. The volunteer is here for a brief time to perform a service. A foreign boyfriend or girlfriend can appear to be an alluring solution to loneliness but experience has shown us that entering into an exclusive romantic relationship distracts the volunteer from her/his primary goal here, is detrimental to community life, and may be unfair to the Bolivian partner. The volunteer should decide he or she is willing to postpone dating relationships while volunteering in Carmen Pampa.
IX. La Paz Information
Franciscan offices
The office is located on the 3rd floor of the same building where the San Francisco Basilica (Plaza San Francisco) is located. Maria Eugenia is in the office and will most likely be the individual you will meet and speak with when you go there to cash your checks or have other questions. German Camacho also works in the Franciscan office and he is the individual who has assisted past volunteers with visa questions and long-term stays in Bolivia. His email address is germancamachom(at)yahoo(dot)es.
Hours: 8-12pm, 2-6pm Monday-Friday, 8-12pm Saturday
Phones: 2-334342 (office)
2-286683 (German – home)
715-56859 (German – cell phone)
Check cashing procedure
You need to know your passport number, which needs to be written along
with your signature on the back of your UAC paycheck.
You can also cash U.S. checks at the Franciscan office.
You have an option of receiving your cash in bolivianos or American dollars.
Where to stay
Historically there are 2 locations that volunteers have stayed at while in La Paz.
Hostal Naira
Sagarnaga Calle no. 161 – Mery and Oscar are frequently the personnel at the front desk.
Located right across from the San Francisco Basilica.
Phone: 591 – 2 – 235 – 56 – 45
Fax: 591 – 2 – 231 – 12 – 14
hostalnaira(at)entelnet(dot)bo
They have 22 rooms, offering various accomodations.
Single Room: $25.00
Double Room: $32.00
Triple Room: $42.00
Couples Room (single double bed): $32.00
Most rooms have private baths, offering 24 hour hot showers.
UAC patrons receive a discount—be sure and say if you are from the UAC.
Complementary breakfast is served from 7-10am at the Banaís Cafe located on teh first floor within the Naira.
Cable TV, Telephone service, laundry, and heaters (estufas), are available.
An Internet Cafe is located below the cafe.
The other lodging of choice is the Hostal Ángelo Colonial.
It is located on Av. Mariscal Santa Cruz Nº 1058, half a block up from the post office, across from the obelisco, and one and half blocks down from the Plaza San Francisco. Rooms are basic, bathrooms are shared but very clean, but there is a kitchen. Singles are Bs. 45, doubles Bs. 85 and triples are Bs. 130. Very central, very convenient. Ask for a towel. There is usually toilet paper, but not always. There is an Internet cafe and phone center across from the reception, and there is an Alexander's Coffee Shop across the street and 2 blocks up. You should call for reservations (591 - 2 - 221 - 5067), but there are usually rooms free without reserving. The people who work there are very friendly and helpful.
C. Transportation—buses/vans/taxis—cost/safety
D. Villa Fatima—how to get there
(incomplete)
E. VISA requirement
Starting on December 1st, 2007, a visa is required for U.S. citizens to visit Bolivia. Volunteers staying less than three months without the intention of extending their stay are encouraged to get a tourist visa (instructions below). For volunteers staying for up to 6 months, a tourist visa may also be the best option: one can leave the country (a trip to Puno, Perú, for example) and return twice for a 30 day extension. After that (or instead of that), the volunteer will pay a fee of about $2 per day for overstaying the visa.
Volunteers staying for more than three months have other options. The most usual is a objeto determinado visa. This visa is given by the Bolivian embassy (or a regional consulate) in the United States, and allows a volunteer to get a longer-term visa once arriving in Bolivia within 30 days. This process is costly -- about $300 -- but the best way to assure residency.
There is also a courtesy visa which is given at no charge, for a specific amount of time. Volunteers have had mixed success getting courtesy visas, including none in recent history. But it is worth calling the embassy and asking.
According to the Bolivian embassy website,
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, in conformance with the Presidential Decree No 28997 of January 1 st , 2007 and the Article 5º, last paragraph, of the Bi-Ministerial Resolution no. 01/2007 of August 31st 2007 , sets down the procedures for the visa for all USA citizens who want to visit Bolivia as tourists.
GENERAL REMARKS
* Beginning December 1 st 2007 , immigration authorities of the Republic of Bolivia will require that citizens of United States of America traveling as tourists to Bolivia have a Visa.
* The Visa will be valid for five (5) years since the date of issue and will permit entrance to Bolivia for a total of ninety (90) days each year.
* A visa holder will be able to use it for three (3) times in one (1) year for a total of ninety (90) days. Only in very special cases will the Bolivian immigration authorities extend the period of permanency over ninety (90) days.
* The visa application can be done by mail or in-person at any Bolivian Consulate.
* To apply by mail, the user must send the Consular Office all required documents and a pre-paid envelope with return address in order to receive their passport once the visa has been issued.
* Visas will be issued in twenty four (24) hours, after reception, fee payment (U$S 100.00) and verfication of the pertinent documentation. Delivery and return transportation time, according to the contracted service by user.
* If the applicant will be traveling with Bolivian friends or relatives who live in United States , they may write the letter of invitation specifying the host address in Bolivia.
* Any person older than twelve (12) month travelling to Bolivia, must bear the International Yellow Fever Vacination Certificate. If a pediatrician or primary physician decides that for health reasons a person cannot receive a Yellow Fever vaccine, they may issue corresponding certification. This certification must be translated into spanish and the passenger must hold a copy of both Certificate and tranlation, to be submitted before Bolivian Immigration Authorities.
REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR VISA
1. Complete the sworn statement for visa application* . ( You must also paste a full color passport size picture; 80% of the image must be of the face, no glasses. Further information in the WEB page of the Ministry www.rree.gov.bo ; link "Servicios Consulares".)
2. Current American passport. (Please note that it must be valid for at least 6 more months as per the Instructive 02/2007 of the Ministry.)
3. Copy of the hotel reservation or invitation letter from Bolivian friends or relatives indicating the host address. (Letter where applicable. For more information please refer to the WEB site of Ministry of Foreign Affaires and Worships www.rree.gov.bo ; link "Servicios Consulares", or within the website of the Vice-Ministry of Tourism.)
4. Round trip ticket or copy of travel itinerary.
5. Bank statement or equivalent that shows economic solvency. (A copy of Credit Card - front side- will also be accepted. Please note that the validity of the document should be for at least the travel period). Parent's or Legal Guardian's Economic Solvency documents are accepted for underage applicants.
6. Copy of yellow fever vaccination certificate. Any person older than twelve (12) month travelling to Bolivia, must bear the International Yellow Fever Vacination Certificate. If a pediatrician or primary physician decides that for health reasons a person cannot receive a Yellow Fever vaccine, they may issue corresponding certification. This certification must be translated into spanish and the passenger must hold a copy of both Certificate and tranlation, to be submitted before Bolivian Immigration Authorities. [A wavier may be signed to enter the country without this vaccination; there have been no cases of yellow fever in Carmen Pampa (the mosquitoes that transmit it do not live at this altitude), but there is yellow fever at lower altitudes, so if a volunteer is planning to travel, it os probably worthwhile.]
7. Visa fee: U$S 100.- One hundred dollars.
- Cash, direct deposit, or money order.
- This amount is not reimbursable.
Please see the visa information on the Bolivian embassy website for the forms and more information. Please ask Lee or Hugh to send you a letter of invitation as your document of invitation and host address. Include your full name as it appears on your passport with your request.
PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH LEE AND HUGH TO BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE MOST CURRENT VISA INFORMATION YOU NEED TO GET INTO THE COUNTRY.
Shopping—groceries/materials for classes
The majority of shopping is done in Coroico. Monday is typically a day of rest for the town and most stores, merchants, and even restaurants are closed. It is difficult to find community transportation to Carmen Pampa on Monday.
There are a couple of tiendas that are frequented by volunteers. Dona Juana’s tienda is located on Doña Albina’s tiendas is on the side of the Coroico Church.
Stores are often closed from 12-2pm each day.
When volunteers go into La Paz they often shop at Mercado Rodriguez for items that are not available in Coroico. The produce seems to be better in La Paz than in Coroico (and best from the UAC gardens), but keeping it in good shape during the transport back to Carmen Pampa can be a challenge. Nuts, raisins, are easier to find and purchase in La Paz.
Materials for class
Gisbert y Cia. S.A.
Tel: 591 – 2 – 220 – 26 – 26
Fax: 591 – 2 – 220 – 29 - 11
This “Liberia, Papeleria Y Editorial” has become a favorite for purchasing dictionaries for students, notebooks, and other materials for class. It is located on Calle Comercio at 1270 From Sagarnaga you need to head down to El Prado, cross it and then head up the road to Calle Comercio, which isn’t far from the Plaza Murillo, where the government buildings are located. Take a “Right” on Calle Comercio and it’s on the right side of the road. Make sure you don’t show up there Saturday afternoons. They close shop at noon and don’t reopen until Monday.
Some other book stores:
LIBRERÍA YACHAYWASI. Av. Villazón Pasaje Bernardo Trigo nº 447. Telf 2441042
LIBRERÍA TERCER MILENIO. Plaza del Estudiante nº 1923. Telf 2441417
LIBRERÍA EL PASILLO. Av. Montenegro nº 1378. San Miguel. Telf 2798933
LIBRERÍA MULTILIBRO. Calle Loayza nº 233. Telf 2202005
LIBRERÍA AMIGOS DEL LIBRO. Calle Mercado nº 1315. Telf 2204321
LIBRERÍA MARTINEZ ACHINI. Av. Arce nº 2132 Edif. Illampu. Telf 2441112 (This is Hugh's favorite)
LIBRERÍA LA UNIVERSAL. Calle Ingavi esq. Pichincha
ESCAPARATE CULTURAL. Telf 2711982
BIBLIOTECA CIPCA. Telf 2416058
LENI BALLON. Telf 2280174
Money exchange
The Naira front desk has the ability to change dollars to bolivianos. There are also money changers located on Sagarnaga Calle. ATM machines can be found in various locations around Sagarnaga Calle and other adjoining calles. It is advised that persons go together, one to watch and help shield the screen from view of others who may be watching.
H. Getting to/from the airport
It is advisable to only use “Radio” taxis while traveling anywhere in La Paz. These taxis have numbers on top of them and there will be a company radio in the taxi for driver/dispatcher communication.
The fare from the airport to the Hostal Naira is 70 bolivianos.
I. Points of Interest
San Francisco Church has a great museum and walking tour.
Valle de la Luna is another tourist attraction within La Paz....
Valle de animas is another tourist attraction in La Paz....
Taxis can be hired for a day to travel to these locations.
Medical Info
The obstetric gynecologist who was referred to me (by a current patient) is (a woman):
Dra. Lucinda Nota Virhuez
Tel Consultorio: (2)243-0015
Tel Domicilio: (2)243-0025
B.P.: (2)222-0303
Address:
Avenida 6 de agosto, No. 2577
Edificio Las Dos Torres (few blocks from the Plaza Avaroa, south on 6
de agosto, and a prominent building)
1 er. Piso - Oficina 2
La Paz
Teaching English (EFL)
A. Administrative Responsibilities
1. “Cuaderno de asistencia”
2. Student roster
3. Grading
4. Exams
J. “Carta Descriptivas”
K. Lesson Plans—Binder
L. Making copies for class
M. Bimonthly volunteer meetings
N. Incorporating Language Lab into Lesson Plans
O. Interaction with department head and teachers within department
P. Testing/Assessment
Q. TOEFEL Preparation
(incomplete)
XI. Volunteer Run Projects --HANNAH/MARIA--
A. CEDI
B. High School English
D. Coroico Viejo
E. Campus Stores
F. Cooperatives
G. Sunday Community Read to children
(incomplete)
XII. Carmen Pampa Products
A. Coffee--contact
B. Honey--contact
C. Organic garden--contact
D. Pork Products--contact
E. Sister Helena--chicken
(incomplete)
Becky's Molten Chocolate Cake
Here is the latest favorite cake in Carmen Pampa, a chocolate creation that former volunteer and current supporter Becky sent down. YOU WILL LOVE THIS CAKE.
Becky Monnens' Molten Chocolate Cake
Melt together:
1/2 pound unsweetened chocolate (we use chocolate from El Ceibo, a cacao growers association that many of our students' families belong to)
1/2 cup butter
Mix in a bowl:
2 cups sugar
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/3 cup flour
1 T vanilla
2 T strong coffee
5 eggs
Stir chocolate-butter mixture into bowl in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Pour into a buttered 10" glass pie plate and bake at 350ºF for about 25 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. The cake will still jiggle a little in the middle when it is done.
This cake is fudgy-creamy in the middle, and lighter on the edges. We usually eat "as is" but it is also nice with some powdered sugar sifted on top, or with some whipped cream.
Becky Monnens' Molten Chocolate Cake
Melt together:
1/2 pound unsweetened chocolate (we use chocolate from El Ceibo, a cacao growers association that many of our students' families belong to)
1/2 cup butter
Mix in a bowl:
2 cups sugar
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/3 cup flour
1 T vanilla
2 T strong coffee
5 eggs
Stir chocolate-butter mixture into bowl in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Pour into a buttered 10" glass pie plate and bake at 350ºF for about 25 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. The cake will still jiggle a little in the middle when it is done.
This cake is fudgy-creamy in the middle, and lighter on the edges. We usually eat "as is" but it is also nice with some powdered sugar sifted on top, or with some whipped cream.
Julia's Never Fail Chocolate Cake
Our neighbors the Franciscan Sisters make this cake for many occasions, and has become a volunteer favorite. They have gracefully shared it with us, and the world.
Julia's Never-Fail Chocolate Cake
2 1/2 C Flour
1 1/2 C Sugar
2/3 C Cocoa
11/2 t Baking Soda
1 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Salt
1 t Vanilla
2/3 C Shortening
1 1/2 C Water
4 Eggs
Mix and sift dry ingredients 3 times.
Add vanilla, shortening and waterto dry ingredients.
Beat 3 minutes.
Add eggs.
Beat 3 minutes.
Grease and flour tall tube pan.
Pour batter into pan.
Bake medium oven - 40 minutes.
P.S. Sister Theresa says, "Excellent with mocha frosting!"
Julia's Never-Fail Chocolate Cake
2 1/2 C Flour
1 1/2 C Sugar
2/3 C Cocoa
11/2 t Baking Soda
1 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Salt
1 t Vanilla
2/3 C Shortening
1 1/2 C Water
4 Eggs
Mix and sift dry ingredients 3 times.
Add vanilla, shortening and waterto dry ingredients.
Beat 3 minutes.
Add eggs.
Beat 3 minutes.
Grease and flour tall tube pan.
Pour batter into pan.
Bake medium oven - 40 minutes.
P.S. Sister Theresa says, "Excellent with mocha frosting!"
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